Utah’s nonfarm payroll employment for November 2016 grew by an estimated 3.0 percent, adding 42,100 jobs to the economy since November 2015. Utah’s current employment level registers 1,447,700.

November’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate declined one-tenth from October to 3.1 percent. Approximately 46,600 Utahns were unemployed in the month and actively seeking work. The national unemployment rate dropped three tenths of a percentage point from October to 4.6 percent.

“Utah experienced yet another month of strong employment growth with the creation of more than 40,000 jobs over the last year,” reported Carrie Mayne, Chief Economist at the Department of Workforce Services. “The unemployment rate dropped for the fifth consecutive month, signifying a solid trend in absorbing job seekers into the state workforce.”

Nine of the 10 private sector industry groups measured in the establishment survey posted net job increases in November as compared to last year, while the Natural Resources and Mining industry decreased by 1,100 positions.

Following the release of the November 2016 job numbers for the State of Utah, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data shows Utah is ranked third for total job growth in the U.S. at 3.0 percent. Utah is tied for No. 1 along with Florida for private sector job growth at 3.5 percent.